The Police on Friday arraigned a 44-year old clergy, Ezekiel Achoba, in a Life Camp Magistrates’ court, for allegedly defrauding agric trainees of N300,000.
Achoba, who lives in Kabusa, village Abuja, is charged with two counts of breach of trust and cheating.
The Police Prosecutor, ASP Peter Ejike, of FCT Command, said one Ejabena Sunday, Abayomi Rowland and Obinna Alex, reported the matter at Life Camp Police Station on Dec. 23, 2019.
Ejike alleged that in January 2018, the defendant and one Kingsley now at large invited the complainants and many others to invest in an agricultural training programme where they were grouped into clusters consisting of 30 people each.
He told the court that each member of the clusters contributed N35,000 each and N300,000 was realised from each member to invest in a catfish business.
The prosecutor alleged that the N300,000 was later handed over to the defendant, who was appointed as the investment chairman of the association, to invest the money in catfish business.
He alleged that the catfish business was meant to yield profit for the association, however, Achoba returned after several months to say the business did not flourish as expected.
Ejike alleged that the defendant claimed that he had N215,000 left in his possession and all effort made to recover the money from failed.
He said the offence contravened the provisions of sections 312 and 322 of the Penal Code Law.
The defendant pleaded not guilty.
Magistrate Sharon Tanko admitted the defendant to bail in the sum of N500,000 and two sureties in like sum.
Tanko ordered that the sureties must reside within the jurisdiction of the court, deposit their identity cards at the court registry for verification and sign an undertaking to the bail bond.
She adjourned the case until May 13, for hearing.
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